Tidal flats are shrinking and eroding due to sea-level rise and human activities. Ecological submerged breakwaters (ESBs) offer a novel solution combining coastal protection and ecological restoration, but their effects on sediment dynamics lack field evidence. This study presents synchronous in situ measurements from an inner tidal flat (WN01) and an outer shallow area (WN02) of a newly built riprap slope-type ESB on the nort...

High-energy, short-lived typhoon deposition can disrupt particle–water interactions, raising the question of whether rare earth elements (REEs) in event deposits still reflect equilibrium-controlled partitioning or instead capture transient, non-equilibrium geochemical states. We sampled a ~0.5–1 cm surface storm layer and underlying background sediments at 11 stations in the northeastern Beibu Gulf on 29–30 September 2024 (20...

The coupling of physical transport and phase-transfer processes represents a fundamental mechanism governing metal cycling in estuarine systems under tidal oscillations. Taking Quanzhou Bay as a model system, we conducted continuous observations and sample collection at the river channel (Q1), the turbidity maximum zone (Q2), and the outer bay channel (Q3). The metals (Al, Ti, Ba, Cu, Mn, and Zn) were measured by ICP-MS to sys...

Under the combined pressures of natural variability and human activities, the area of tidal flats has been gradually decreasing, with most muddy coasts experiencing varying degrees of erosion. The central coast of Jiangsu Province, a world-renowned region for extensive tidal flats, has witnessed intensifying erosion of its muddy coasts in recent years. To mitigate further coastal erosion, an ecological submerged breakwater (ES...